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The Nature and Assessment of Agri-food Governance

Author

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  • Hrabrin Bachev
  • Bozhidar Ivanov

Abstract

There are intense ongoing debates about the importance and quality of agri-food governance, and these have not gone unnoticed in Bulgaria. There is no suitable Bulgarian translation for the word governance, and many inaccurate terms are used such as managing, management, leadership, directing, regulating, regime, etc. In order to accurately reveal the essence of this category and avoid misunderstandings with researchers in other fields, this article uses the term governance. It adapts the methodology of New Institutional Economics and offers a holistic framework for an adequate understanding of agri-food governance and for assessing its quality. Agri-food governance is defined as a complex system with five main components: (1) agrarian and related agents, (2) the means (rules, forms, and mechanisms) that govern agents' behavior, activities, and relationships, (3) processes and activities associated with decision-making, (4) a specific social order resulting from the governance process, and (5) the system’s performance results in relation to the realization of sustainable development goals. To assess the quality of agri-food governance, a multidimensional hierarchical system of principles, criteria, indicators, and reference values for good governance is suggested. The initial assessment of the quality of agri-food governance in Bulgaria, based on expert and statistical data, shows that it is at an average (European) level. In terms of sustainability, the quality is at a good level, while it is at a satisfactory level in terms of processes, means, and order. The Bulgarian agri-food governance strengths are in terms of equity and solidarity, in addition to a well-functioning public sector; its weaknesses are in stakeholder engagement and private sector efficiency.

Suggested Citation

  • Hrabrin Bachev & Bozhidar Ivanov, 2024. "The Nature and Assessment of Agri-food Governance," Economic Thought journal, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences - Economic Research Institute, issue 2, pages 195-221.
  • Handle: RePEc:bas:econth:y:2024:i:2:p:195-221
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • Q12 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Agriculture - - - Micro Analysis of Farm Firms, Farm Households, and Farm Input Markets
    • Q18 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Agriculture - - - Agricultural Policy; Food Policy; Animal Welfare Policy
    • Q56 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Environmental Economics - - - Environment and Development; Environment and Trade; Sustainability; Environmental Accounts and Accounting; Environmental Equity; Population Growth

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